The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-10-05
a CoLORED FINaNCIEH.
The Story of an American Negro who !. sn!d to-
Have Originated the Mitkiewicz Benk:H%
Scheme.

A gentleman who has resided twenty six
Francisco, said to reporter:
The syndicate in which Mi;chicw;cz j:
q prominent figure had its origin from Z
quarter unknown The scher'c which has
astonished the financial &utocTats had il
birth in the brain of an American c1l0rcf
man, George A. Butler. Tie father OF this
gigantic banking scheme IS the son Of negro
parents and was born in Washington, ID.
c., in 1885. He became 4 lin2ust OF con.
siderable ability He had {. brother attached
to the French legation at Paris in hum
capacity and to him tao future i!ti&Ecicr
went twenty Years ago. When AG>"N
Burlingamc was appointed; 10 represent t::c
United States at Pchin he visited Paris on
his way and took liking to Butler, whc
had acquired quite Il Partisan polish.
Butler spoke French and German lucntiy
and had had some knowledge Of Chinese
He went with the American AmDas&&GoT
to Pckin, where he held a position as
attachee to the United States Legation
His aptitude for acquiring foreign tongue,
was so great that after short residence III
Pekin he mastered the mandarin Chinese.
"Whcn Burlin9amc left Pcriltn, Giiilc!
decided TO remain il the country, where he
had managed 70 obtain Influence aG:oHa
financial llagnatcs. He was appointed t"
the position of warehouse keepcr tor ttc
well-known firm of Russell 4 Co. oi
Shanghai, owners Of the fleet OF merchant
steamers called the Shanghai Navigation
Company The position occupied By
Butler was most responsible, and the high
est confidence was rcposed in his business
abilities. The Russell steamers Were s"id
to Chinese business men, and the company
was subsequently known as the Chinese
Merchants Steamship Company. The new
company did not retain the services CT
Butler, but in short time they found ,n&'
they were being plundercd by their own
countrymen. At last they called in the
colored manager. Butler soon Strengthened
out the intricacies in which the accounts Gl
the firm had been involved.
when the war between France and
China was imminent, Butler succeeded IN
having the fleet CT steamers transferred to
an American company, hurricdiy organized
for the purpose, and with stars and stripes
flying, the ships continued unmolestcd by
the French to ply between other ports and
Shanghai At the close OF the war the
steamers were retransferred to Z company
of Chinese merchants, and the business
reputation of Butler was further enhanced:
The Chinese government was hard up, aGG
through the negotiations of Butler, q loan
of million taels was successfully tioatcd.
| with the aid Of foreign banks at Shanghai.
Butler made an American and European
tour. Hc went to London. where he was
well received by the Marquis Tscng,
| Chinese ambassador at the court OF st.
James.
In the course of that visit to London
! was Latchcd the gigantic scheme which mas
SURPRISED the tinanciers Of the world. ihe
chief promoters Of the syndicate We're thc2.
as now, Ii Hung Chang. viceroy at-Iicn-
Tsiu, and kec Chung, The wealthicst and
most intelligent of the great Chinese mer'
chants at Shanghai. In th2autumE OF last
year the Marquis Tseng lett London tor
China. and Butler at tic same time lcit
London for New York for the purpose 81
pulling wires at that place. After making
what has since been demonstrated 10 nave
been satisfactory arrangements, nc !cit
New York and arrived at Pckin ii Aprl!
of this wear. He was admitted to the de.
libcrativns of the Imperial Council, AID
then suddenly disappeared and rctuFed 10
London. The PRONUNCIATION of the con
cession granted by the Chinese government
followed, and the connection OF ,li:&icWlcZ
with the scheme came prominently ceforc
the public
'Butler is now - years Of age, and IS
very dark in color. He dresses with the
precision of o Partisan; his manners are as
polished as though he were Bourbon IN
the Faubough St. Germain.